-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Canadian border officer was shot in her booth Tuesday afternoon by a motorist , who then apparently killed himself , Canadian police said .

The shooting occurred at a border crossing across from Blaine , Washington , where the motorist was traveling from , authorities said .

The border officer was breathing before being airlifted to a hospital , but further details about her condition were not immediately available , said Surrey Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cpl. Bert Paquet .

The man who shot her was pronounced dead at the scene , apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound , Paquet said . He was driving a car with Washington state plates into Canada , he said .

Authorities had yet to confirm the man 's identity late Tuesday afternoon , Paquet said .

Canadian authorities closed the border crossing immediately after the shooting .

The closed British Columbia port is known as the Douglas or Peace Arch crossing , and Canadian authorities are asking motorists to use another area crossing , said Faith St. John with the Canada Border Services Agency .

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were investigating .

Dave Noble told CNN affiliate CTV that he saw a chaotic scene when he arrived at the crossing Tuesday .

About a dozen border guards with guns drawn encircled a white van .

`` They had it surrounded . ... You knew something had gone down , '' he said . `` It 's very shocking . I feel terrible for the border guard . I come here quite a bit , and do n't know any of them personally ... but there are some really nice people that work here . ''

Authorities told Lisa Kennedy that she and her family would be waiting for a while . She saw all the ambulances and police cars pull up to the scene , where the van 's doors were opened .

`` They said , ` Hold on , you guys are going to be here for a long time . We 've had an injury , a fairly serious one , '' Kennedy told CTV .

Jagdar Randhawa said he heard the gunfire . `` All of sudden , I hear two shots , '' he said Tuesday afternoon . `` Then we wait for a while . We 're still waiting for a long time . ''

Canadian Minister of Public Safety Vic Toews said he was `` deeply concerned by the news of the shooting today at the Peace Arch border crossing of a CBSA officer . ''

`` This event is a sobering reminder of the dangerous conditions faced daily by the men and women of our law enforcement agencies as they work to protect the safety and security of Canadians , '' Toews said .

About 60 vehicles were stranded on the Canadian side of the border .

CNN 's Amanda Watts contributed to this report .

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NEW : A male motorist shoots female Canadian border officer in her booth , police say

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NEW : Motorist then apparently kills himself , police say

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NEW : Border officer is breathing when she 's airlifted to hospital

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NEW : Authorities shut down the Peace Arch across from Blaine , Washington